


Sweeter than Sugar

by FallenSnowe



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Candy, F/M, One-Sided Relationship, Red Light District
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-07-26 02:39:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7556899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenSnowe/pseuds/FallenSnowe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Working as a thief in the red light district of Ylisse isn't all it cracks up to be. You have to avoid druggies, evade dangerous mages, and work for the oddest people. However, when Gaius is down on his luck, he receives an offer he can't refuse: seduce the King's tactician and kidnap her, holding her for ransom. It'll be a piece of cake...right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Like Taking Candy From a Babe

Clouds of smoke swirled out into the air, curling forth from dry, parted lips, creating a haze over the room. Bloodshot eyes swept around lazily, slow limbs tangling and grasping. Elbows and legs bumping into the walls of the too-small room. Gaius sat in his own corner, thinning his lips as to not suck in too much of the pungent opium smoke. He swirled the sweet, cherry candy in his mouth impatiently as he watched the door with predatory, olive green eyes, tapping his knee slowly with a long, pale finger.

When the woman finally entered the den, pairs of widened, dilated eyes gazed at her, and a few of the drugged occupants of the house reached out to touch her feet or her slender legs. She hissed at them in a low voice and kicked them away, holding her tome closer to her chest. Black hair framed her horribly pretty face and cascaded around her shoulders. Her dark eyes narrowed at Gaius when she saw him, and she strode over to where he sat.

"You're a pesky vermin, asking me to meet you at such a filthy place," the woman muttered as she sat next to him. She tucked her scantily clad legs to her chest and glared weakly at the thief. "If I didn't need you for this job, I'd curse you in an instant. Wouldn't that be fun?" She chuckled darkly under her breath as a sly smile spread across her lips.

"Cut the threats, Tharja. Let's just get this over with," Gaius replied, his fingers twitching as his jaw clenched. When the woman leaned closer to him, he leaned back.

"You're no fun," she pouted. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked through her tome, pages rustling as she searched for a single piece of paper. She carefully slipped it out and handed it to the thief. "Anyway, the job I'm offering you is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you fulfill it, your debt will be completely removed, and you'll also receive killer weapons and a master seal. Sound appealing?"

"Maybe," Gaius muttered, wincing when a cackle escaped the woman's lips. "What do I have to do for it?"

"It should be a simple task, if you're as charismatic as you claim," Tharja replied. "The paper I gave you has all the information you need about Robin, Exalt Chrom's dear tactician. All you need to do is seduce her and kidnap her for ransom, and my associates and I will take care of the rest."

Gaius thought about it for a moment, weighing his options. There was a slim chance he'd leave the opium den alive if he refused.

"Well, what kind of gal is she? I can't seduce her if I don't know what she's into."

"She's intelligent, of course. She's a tactician. I've heard she can be sarcastic as well. She'd most likely be attracted to someone mysterious and cunning, someone like you," Tharja replied, watching as a grin spread across his lips. He looked down at the paper and analyzed the information.

Name: Robin

Occupation: Tactician

Residence: Ylissean Castle

Hair: White

Eyes: Hazel

Build: average height and build

The paper also included her hectic schedule.

"There have been rumors that Robin is going to be assisting the Exalt's special task force on their rounds around the red light district tonight. She'll be wearing a large, dark purple cloak with an odd design on it," Tharja explained. "Do not fail me...or your fate will be far worse than death." Her smile was sickeningly twisted, her dark eyes lidded with bloodlust. A shiver sent shockwaves of panic down the thief's spine. He swallowed thickly, the smoky air around him permeating his lungs.

"It'll be fine, don't worry," he chuckled, biting back his nerves as he tapped his knee with a shaky finger. "It'll be like taking candy from a babe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As stated in the chapter title, this is more of a prologue than an actual chapter; the chapters will hopefully be much longer than this.
> 
> I'm planning on updating at least once a week, but life can be hectic, so no promises.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this so far, so thank you for reading. : D If you liked it, don't be afraid to leave a kudos or a comment (comments make my day : 3).


	2. Sticky Situations

Robin's study room at the castle was musty at best, smelling of old books and ink. Piles of tomes cluttered her desk and floor. The young woman sat at her desk, her snowy locks tied back into a messy bun as she squinted at the ancient texts in front of her. Her fingers trailed across the smooth wood of the desk as she thought.

An abrupt knock pulled her from her thoughts, a familiar blond woman bumbling into the room with a bucket in her arms. An odd, black liquid sloshed inside.

"By gods, Lissa, what in the world is that?" Robin inquired, closing the book she had been attempting to translate. Cloudy blue eyes glimmered as a grin broke out across Lissa's face. Her blond pigtails bounced around her as she moved across the room, the woman about to say something when her foot wedged itself into a loose floorboard. A high pitched squeal shattered the calm atmosphere as the poor princess lost her gravity and fell to the floor with a loud clunk. The bucket she had been holding lost its contents as the murky, black liquid splattered all over Robin.

"Gah! I'm so, so sorry!" Lissa squeaked, red coloring her petite cheeks as she hurriedly pulled herself off the floor. She scuffled over to the tactician and put a hand over her parted lips in a gasp. "Oh, and you have rounds in the red light district tonight as well! How-"

"It's... Alright, Lissa," Robin breathed, carefully wiping the substance away from her eyes. The stuff was globby and sticky as it clung to her skin, hair, and clothes. "Would you mind telling me what this is?"

"Oh! It's one of Ricken's failed potions!" Lissa giggled as she recalled why she was there in the first place. "It was supposed to be a defense tonic, but this particular batch came out horribly wrong."

"So you decided to interrupt my work so that you could tease him behind his back?" Robin asked, a small, teasing smile pulling at her lips. "You might as well just confess your love right now."

"I do not have a crush on Ricken!" Lissa sputtered indignantly, pulling on the tactician's sticky hand as a blush crept up her neck. "Anyway, that's beside the point! We need to get you all washed up before your rounds!" The princess tugged her up from her seat and pulled her out the door. She slammed the door behind her with a stubborn harumph.

"Robin...what happened to you?" The deep, calming voice of the Exalt interrupted the two. Robin glanced over, dread settling in the pit of her stomach as her hazel eyes met amused sapphires. She chewed on her bottom lip as Lissa giggled at the situation.

"Stop asking questions and get the poor girl a new set of clothes!" Lissa demanded halfheartedly, her hands resting on her small hips. She offered the flustered tactician an apologetic smile before continuing. "Robin has some thief-class clothes in her wardrobe somewhere; find them and bring them to the bath house, alright?"

Chrom bit back a hearty laugh as he glanced between the two. Eventually, he nodded, earning a relieved sigh from both of the girls, who began to make their way to the bath house.

* * *

 

Swirls of steam curled up from the hot water, cupping Robin's soft face and soothing her senses. She let out the whisper of a hum when she felt small fingers gently tread and weave through her hair. Lissa was singing softly behind her, the warm notes melodic and smooth.

"Any luck?" Robin asked quietly, her eyes fluttering closed as the hot water caused pleasure to shock down her spine.

"Aw, the color's not coming out of your hair!" Lissa huffed as she gingerly tugged on a black strand. The tactician opened her eyes to see that the water in the bath house had turned a cloudy dark gray. A few clumps of gunk floated near the surface. Robin grimaced, even though her skin was now mostly clean. "There's no more clumps in your hair, though. It seems that this stuff has only dyed it black. I'm sure it'll come out eventually, though."

"Well, I suppose I'll have to leave it as it is for now," Robin sighed as she saw in her reflection that her eyebrows had been dyed black as well. "I told Lon'qu I'd meet up with him at sunset to start the rounds." Lissa nodded, biting her lip and offering the woman a clean towel as the tactician rose out of the water. Robin accepted it gratefully and wrapped it around her bare body.

"I'll go get your clothes!" Lissa said, her boots clicking against the floor as she scurried out of the bath house. Robin watched the young princess with unveiled amusement, waiting for her to come back. When she did, she carried a pile of carefully folded clothes in her arms. "Thankfully, Chrom didn't manhandle your stuff!"

"By the way, why did you ask for my thief-class clothes?" Robin inquired, raising an eyebrow in question as she took the clothes and began to put them on. The sleeveless shirt had a v neck, exposing more of her cleavage than she'd normally show. The tight pants were at least a small bit comfortable.

"Because you look totally awesome in them!" Lissa giggled as she eyed the tactician. Robin rolled her eyes as she neatly tucked her shirt into her belt. As she pulled on her boots, Lissa added, "Besides, with your black hair and thief outfit, you could pass for a totally different person! You'll blend in much better in the red light district."

"I suppose that's true. Should I have a fake name, then?" Robin asked. The young princess nodded fervently and clasped her hands in front of her with pleading, cloudy blue eyes. The tactician slipped the dark cloak over her shoulders and said, "Well...how about Lucy? It's easy enough to remember."

"Sounds good to me!" Lissa chirped.

"Anyway, I should probably go meet up with Lon'qu and explain the situation to him," Robin replied, offering the young princess a warm smile before making her way outside the bath house. The sun dipped just below the mountains, blurring vibrant hues of orange and red and violet across the sky. Walking towards her at a crisp, brisk pace was Lon'qu, a sword swinging on the sheath at his hip. His dark eyes narrowed in confusion as he came to a stop in front of the tactician.

"Robin?" He asked in a gruff voice, as if he was wondering whether or not it was truly her.

"Yes, it's me. I got into quite the conundrum this evening, and now I have black hair and different clothes. Lissa and I figured that with the change, I could go by a different name. If no one knew who I was, it would be easier to catch criminals," Robin sighed, smiling warily. Lon'qu nodded.

"That's true. However, you're still going to need a weapon," he replied as he gestured to the empty sheaths strapped to her thighs. The young woman nodded and silently followed him to the armory. That's how he liked her company, she knew. She was one of the women he knew that didn't feel the need to chatter constantly.

After Robin received two iron daggers which were now strapped tightly in the sheaths, the two traveled to the red light district just as soon as night fell. Lights illuminated every building and street corner, casting a warm glow over them. An odd stench wafted off of the people there. Robin scrunched her nose as she glanced around, thinning her lips and placing a shaky hand low on her hip.

"Calm down," Lon'qu said lowly as he stood beside her. His soft, earthy scent was soothing enough to pull her to her senses, and she flinched as she pulled her hand back.

"Sorry," she whispered, ignoring the odd way people looked at her. "I'm just...not used to this kind of place." She let out a breath and closed her eyes, embracing the warm night and all it may bring. The chatter of the crowds of people faded to background noise as she opened her eyes once more. The myrmidon gave her a curt nod and began to lead her down the street.

"Our target, Henry, is known to wander, never staying in one place at once. He never holds a routine or schedule, either. His motives are foggy, but the outcome is never good," Lon'qu explained, the long speech uncharacteristic of him. Robin nodded as she stayed in step, boots tapping against the street as they walked in unison. That was how officers were supposed to appear-clean cut and ready for anything. At that moment, Robin felt as if she was anything but.

The night sky was scattered with stars, not a single cloud to blot the night. A warm breeze drifted lazily through the crowds and threaded itself through hair as it passed. The red light district seemed far too peaceful, even with the crowds, to be the home of prostitution and illegal sales. Tree branches swayed in the warm summer air and provided small shadows.

"I've been told that Henry may be lurking around the necromancy house," Lon'qu stated as he took a sharp turn down a small alley. The information was predictable, considering Henry was a dark mage. So predictable that it caused Robin's stomach to churn with unease. So she followed the myrmidon with a wary gaze and kept her hand near the dagger strapped to her left thigh.

Before they even made it twenty steps away from the necromancy house, an icy air chilled around them as their feet froze to the ground. Robin looked up and was met with a pale, smiling face. A shiver shocked down her spine, struggling against the ice that was crawling up her legs.

She vainly wished for a fire tome.

"Nya ha ha! Lookie here! I've caught myself a few officers, haven't I?" Henry cackled, standing in front of the two as he held up a single finger, as if he were making a point or telling a joke. A grunt escaped Lon'qu's throat, his frozen fingers twitching just above the hilt of his sword. "Cat's got your tongue, eh? Nya ha ha! That's unfortunate. Well, as much as I love your company, I'm afraid I'm going to have to hurt you both."

He stepped closer to Robin and seemed to peer into her eyes despite the way his own eyes squinted, his skin appearing nearly translucent in the gentle light. Soft, snowy locks of hair fell just above his eyebrows of the same color.

"I can see right through you," he hummed, tapping the young woman's nose and laughing when she tried to flinch back. "But don't worry. I'm not going to kill you yet! Nya ha ha, that'll have to wait for later!" As he cackled to himself, Robin noticed a flash of vermillion out of the corner of her eye, a blur of black against the shadows of the night.

It was probably her imagination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Gaius and Robin will finally meet next chapter, but will he even know that it's her?
> 
> Anyway, if you liked it, you can always drop a comment and tell me how I'm doing (constructive critisicm is always accepted). And although I have most of the plot figured out for this fic, requests for filler scenes would be greatly appreciated. : D


	3. Cherry Hearts

The night glowed as people gathered through the streets with welcoming pockets. An occasional piece of gold would fall forth and click against the ground, waiting to be plucked up. Gaius moved through the crowds with silence as he took the spare change he so deserved. Buildings loomed above the people and cast an extra darkness on the district. A smirk spread across his lips as a giddiness spread throughout his stomach. Sweet. The crowds were oblivious to the purses and bags he slipped from their open pockets. If he kept this up, he wouldn't need to worry about his debt anymore.

He could've been free.

The people began to murmur and cast glances at each other, all talking about the same person who was causing a show of sorts at the very end of the street. Gaius peered across the crowds, grimacing when he saw the center of attention, the crop of snowy hair that stood out among the others. The cackle infiltrated his ears like poison, seeping into his mind as a shiver shocked down his spine.

"Henry," Gaius growled under his breath. He began to make his way to the mage, his muscles tensing as he broke out into a sprint. His movements jerked as he swerved and maneuvered through the throng of people. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead. Sticky beads in the all too hot night. Just before he came into the view of the menace, he ducked behind a tree and pressed his back to the wood. He took in a breath and dared to hiss it out through clenched teeth.

"What do you have to say? Nothing?" Henry hummed, and Gaius turned to see that the mage was circling his two victims like a bird of prey. He didn't recognize either of the two, but saw that one of them, a female, was wearing a thief's clothes. Her hair was a dark contrast against Henry's pale features. Bad luck, it seemed, to be caught up in this. Pride and fear swelled in his gut, and Gaius threw himself out from behind the tree and into the dark mage. His hurl knocked Henry over, the thief following close behind. A thump resounded through the street as Gaius slammed the other's head onto the stone ground. He stood back up on the balls of his feet and turned to see the young woman's expression. Her eyes were impossibly wide, her hand on the hilt of her sword as the ice around her legs began to melt. He ran to her and gripped her wrist.

"I'm keeping you safe, alright? No if's, and's, or but's about it. Got it, Bubbles?" he murmured under his breath. Although the girl rose an eyebrow in question, she nodded and allowed herself to be pulled away from the crowds of people that had begun to form around them. Gaius muttered a curse and led the young woman to the shadows behind a particularly large building. "Alright, sweetheart, do you want to get caught by Henry? Cause I can almost guarantee he's alive and pissed right now."

"Of course not," the woman huffed, glaring at him with eyes that swirled with light brown and held flecks of green and gold. Gaius chuckled and pinched her cheek.

"Glad to see you still have some fight in ya, Bubbles," he said. She rolled her eyes and tossed a smile his way, and he tugged her deeper into the district. She followed with little complaint, her legs moving in a stiff manner as she fought to regain the feeling in her cold limbs. "I'm taking you to my secret hideout, so keep your pretty lips zipped about it, alright?"

"Secret hideout?" she echoed, amusement plain on her face.

"Yeah," Gaius replied. He nodded as he led her around corners and through narrowed streets.

"And you want me to go to your secret hideout, but you haven't even told me your name or what you truly want from me. I'm grateful, but what are your motives?" The young woman asked, peering at him as though she could see the secrets plain in his eyes. He pursed his lips and glanced back at her.

"You don't miss anything, do ya, Bubbles?" He chuckled, running his free hand through his hair as a blush crept onto his cheeks. In his bout of heroic behavior, he had forgotten basic human communication. Guess that was what happened when confronted with a pretty girl of the same class. He stopped in front of a building that was on the outskirts of the district and put his hand to his chest. "The name's Gaius, and I'm your regular old thief. Just thought I'd assist someone else of the trade; you looked like you were in trouble back there."

"Well...thank you. I'm...Lucy," the young woman stammered, picking at a few strands of her hair. She straightened out her cloak and brought her hand between them.

"Eh...what are you doing?" Gaius asked.

"I'm offering a handshake. That's what companions do, right?" Lucy replied as she stared down at his hand. Gaius glanced down and, after a moment, took her hand in his. Warmth radiated off of her palm. The same warmth crept up his neck, setting his nerves on fire.

"Well, Bubbles, we should head inside before Henry finds us," Gaius said, pulling his hand away and running it through his hair before leading her inside.

The building creaked with every step they took, boots thumping against the floorboards. Gaius kept his gaze focused and steady as he checked their surroundings. He kept still for a moment, listening for the sounds of an intruder. No one else was there. The thief beckoned for Lucy to follow him up the groaning staircase.

The room he led her to was devoid of sound, trinkets and pieces of gold laying cluttered around a pile of old pillows. The thief plopped down on the pile and patted the space beside him. Lucy shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Trust issues?" Gaius asked, chuckling when a blush began to creep onto her skin. She opened and closed her mouth a few times like a dying fish before she eventually huffed under her breath.

"It's... A long story," she said. Gaius nodded and gave the young woman her space as he leaned back, ensconsed in the fluff of the pillows. "You look fairly comfortable there. Is that how you sleep?"

"You got it, Bubbles," the thief replied. He stretched out his back and groaned when it gave a satisfying pop. "The most comfy bed in the district. The safest, as well."

"You sure seem to know a lot about this place."

"And you don't?" Gaius asked, watching her throat bob as she swallowed and thought about the question.

"That's a story for another day. Anyway, what were you doing before you decided to tackle an infamous criminal?" Lucy inquired.

"I don't think I should tell you, Bubbles," Gaius replied. He leaned towards her and glanced around before whispering, "You see, I'm a dangerous man, and you don't want to get caught up in my business." The young woman must've thought so, because her skin paled, and she stumbled back a few steps. Gaius got up and brushed himself off. "Look, don't be scared. I'm not going to-"

The front door rattled open, steps thundering up the staircase. The two turned just as Henry burst into the room, his lips still settled in an eerie smirk.

"Nya ha ha! Found ya!" The dark mage lifted his hand, dark energy swirling at his palm. Lucy tensed as she glanced between the two men. Dark magic began to thicken the air around her, threatening to cave in her lungs. Pain prickled at her skin and around the edges of her vision.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gaius shouted, grabbing her arm, wincing as pain shocked up his limb and tensed his muscles. He pulled the girl away from the dark mage and scanned his surroundings.

"Finding it hard to escape? It's alright. Just hand me the girl, and you'll get out unscathed~" Henry hummed, closing his raised hand into a fist. All of Lucy's weight dropped as she lost consciousness. Gaius caught her into his arms, shaking his head at the other.

"We're thieves. We don't have anyone else in this damn world, so we have to stick together." He stepped back until his legs hit the bottom of the windowsill behind him. His lips pulled up into a smirk. "As you would say, birds of a feather flock together."

Henry's jaw twitched as Gaius threw himself and the girl out the open window.

* * *

"Ya know, Bubbles, I really didn't think this through," Gaius wheezed, his fingers digging into an open crevice on the side of the building. At least his quick calculations were correct, so they weren't splattered on the cobblestone below. He vainly wished that there was grass instead. The fingers that kept them from falling were bent and bloody, and the thief tried his best to skid down the rest of the wall gently. His other arm cradled the sleeping girl. As soon as his legs hit the ground, he groaned in pain before starting to run towards the outskirts of the red light district.

After a while, it was clear that Henry wasn't following them. Gaius slowed to a jog, his lungs burning as he entered the forest. His hand throbbed with pain, his arms shaking as he carried the girl. He glanced around the wooded area; near silence and darkness surrounded them. The only sounds came from Gaius' quivering breaths and the bubbling of the brook in front of them. He slowly placed Lucy down on the grass and sighed in relief when her eyelids began to flutter open.

"What happened?" She murmured. Gaius kneeled down next to her.

"I got us out of there. I don't think Henry is following us anymore, but I don't wanna take any chances," He replied, his voice soft as he reached out to touch her face. He jerked his hand away before he ever made contact.

"Thank you," Lucy sighed, trying to sit up. However, she flinched, her hand rushing to her head. She ran her fingers through her hair, and when she pulled away, blood was evident on her fingertips. "How...did this happen?"

"I don't know how dark magic works," Gaius replied, tearing a piece of cloth off of his cloak. He handed it to her and grimaced. "You should wash the blood off of your head. Take care of yourself, Bubbles." The girl nodded and soaked the cloth in the stream before running it through her hair. Gaius watched as she did so, entranced as a few soft rays of moonlight streamed through the trees and illuminated her face. His hand rose and fell. Rose and fell.

"Gods!" Lucy's breath hitched, and Gaius snapped out of his reverie to see that her hair was now a snowy white. The brook was now murky with black. Gaius tensed and rushed to his feet.

"What the hell?" He snapped, furrowing his eyebrows. His blood ran cold as his mind began to stitch together the pieces of this intricate young woman. Hazel eyes. Snowy white hair. She was with one of the guards, wasn't she? His hands began to shake, his pulse quickening by the moment. This clever, pretty woman wasn't a thief.

She was the Exalt's tactician. This mission would be so easy, so simple, if he could just hit her over the head with the hilt of his dagger and drag her unconscious form to Tharja. His hand strayed by the sheath strapped to his leg. It would be so easy. He could've been free.

The young woman smiled sheepishly, her rosy cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I suppose I'll have to reintroduce myself. I'm Robin," she said, her voice light as she held back a laugh. "I'm sorry that we had to meet in such an odd way." Her hair, still wet, curled around her smiling face, her eyes bright. Gaius' hand fell.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, it's been a while, hasn't it? The thing is, I lost all of my notes for this fic, so I'm kind of plotting from scratch and the memory of what I was doing with this. I'm sorry it took so long, but here it is! I have a few things to say about it.
> 
> 1) I know that some of this is fairly inaccurate medically. But I'm a psychology nerd, so please bear with me.
> 
> 2) There are quite a few coincidences that make things the way that they are, but I believe that that's just how the universe works at times.
> 
> 3) I really hope you enjoyed this, and I'll be updating a lot more frequently!


End file.
